Discussion Topic |
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 9, 2006 - 02:19am PT
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When I was climbing with them back in the early eighties, Hugh and Hans Herr told me stories about the Rhodie Loadies, an intrepid roving band of climbing porta-partyers that frequented the Gunks and other crags close to their tiny state. They were heard to communicate with one another by mournful cries of "Wog... Wog " when they would set a belay, where possible, at every ledge on the way up a route big enough for two people to stand on together. This very meeting of Rhodies was necessary and sufficient grounds for smoking a joint before moves or meters could be overcome to attain the next smoking stance.
A typical Gunks route climbed in this fashion could take all day and become pretty epic at the top due to the mandatory full conditions. It has almost faded into the mist but I can still picture Hugh and Hans in proper concentration faithfully croaking out the "Wog...Wog" and busting up laughing. What ever became of this mythical sect???????
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Rhodie Loadies - Oh yeah, I lived in NH for two years in the mid-80's and climbed in MA, CT, and the Gunks. The CT crew would talk about those guys. Never met them but they definitely had a rep.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Dec 10, 2006 - 11:30am PT
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I remember some of them from the "Gunks" in the late 70's.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Dec 10, 2006 - 03:55pm PT
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i climbed with whitey a bunch. the rhoadie loadies home port was lincoln woods. pretty good boulderers.
i hear these days they're a bunch of vegans. they drink o'doule's in the basement and work out on plastic.
so sad. the horror, the horror.
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Brian Boyd
Trad climber
Scottsdale, AZ
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Dec 10, 2006 - 06:15pm PT
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Hey! It's not "Wog...wog". It's "Waaab Waaab". It can be done long and slow "waaaaaab waaaaaab" for, say, finding someone while standing at the base of Cathedral Ledge, or a quick "wab wab" when answering the phone. Properly shouted, with the right wind conditions, it has been heard on the valley floor from the top of the El Cap rappel.
I still bellow, but don't get much of a response these days. Current partners are untrainable in this regard.
Saw Paul Baird three years ago; he was living in Vermont doing commercial interior design. Paul had run the short-lived 'North American Climber' magazine. I climbed with Whitey a lot in the Eighties, last saw him at New River Gorge about 10 years ago.
We even had a Rhody Loadie t-shirt :)
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 10, 2006 - 06:22pm PT
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I stand corrected and sorry for the misspellings. For the record, was that "two guys on a ledge" thing for real or was it just myth? No self-incrimination necessary.
Just for grins, is that t-shirt still in the world? A pic of it would be great. What's the story behind the name?
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Brian Boyd
Trad climber
Scottsdale, AZ
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Dec 10, 2006 - 11:18pm PT
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Like all good stories, there is a grain of truth buried in some embellishment. I was starting climbing at the time, but the rest of the Loadies were pulling down some decent stuff. I don't think it ever took an entire day for anyone to summit at the Trapps. But, there were many people know to celebrate on belay ledges.
All my old stuff is buried away, sadly, although a pair of Resin Roses did surface recently. I believe the zig zag man was prominently displayed on the back of the tee shirt.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 31, 2006 - 02:36pm PT
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Thanks for the high altitude logo post. Very cool! Any body have the silkscreen still? LOL
Any of you guys have old copies of Vulgarian Digest especially the one featuring RR with breasts?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 19, 2007 - 11:48pm PT
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Bump for old times sake and Royal's jugs?????
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Oct 20, 2007 - 01:32am PT
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Paul Baird was at the Gunks climber's reunion on Saturday. Don't know if he showed up in anyone's pictures.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Oct 20, 2007 - 09:12pm PT
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Paul on the right.
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russ clune
climber
new paltz, ny
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Oct 21, 2007 - 09:01am PT
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i just climbed with Whitey 6 weeks ago at Farley Ledge in MA. Alive and well.Bob D--we should make sure these guys make it to the gunks next year.
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Brian Boyd
Trad climber
Scottsdale, AZ
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Oct 22, 2007 - 09:46am PT
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Hey Russ,
If you see whitey again, can you tell him that Brian Boyd says hello? I haven't seen him in a really long time. Thanks!
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OldEric
Trad climber
Westboro, MA
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Oct 22, 2007 - 12:54pm PT
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I climbed with Whitey 5 days ago at the New. I run into him pretty often. He hasn't changed much - especially climbing wise.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 3, 2008 - 11:07am PT
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I hope a few of these gents show up at the Gunks gathering this year. Have to look for the Zig-Zag man.
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richross
Trad climber
gunks,ny
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Nov 22, 2008 - 09:10am PT
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Wob Wob, Here's a photo of Rhodie Neil Pothier from North American Climber.
The proper reply to the Wob Wob call is Woof Woof.
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Nov 24, 2008 - 08:51am PT
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Yet another old thread that I just noticed. Many of the Loadies are still climbing very actively and well, and are only a bit more sedate. As others have posted, Whitey (John McLean)is still a regular at many northeastern areas and still pulling down harder than most. Chuck Boyd is based in CT., and is not only still rock climbing at a high standard, but has also been very active in expeditionary climbing. He was on the (almost) first ascent of Shipton Spire in the Karakoram a number of years ago, summited Everest more recently, and this past summer was on K-2. "P.J." O'Brien is in the Phoenix area----a few years ago he took a group of us on one of the wilder drives I've ever experienced into Lower(?) Devil's Canyon at Queen Creek in a rental SUV---I'm sorry that I wasn't with him when he returned it!!!!! I believe that Neil Pothier is still in the vicinity, but don't think he climbs any more. A great group---then and now.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 24, 2008 - 11:47am PT
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Thanks for the update, Al. Was Chuck on the almost SS expedition with Greg Collum and Mark Bebbie by chance?
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Nov 24, 2008 - 12:39pm PT
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Yes, Steve, Chuck was on the Shipton climb with those guys. And, "P.J." is Pat O'Regan not O'Brien. Looking at this thread made me think about all the other semi-organized groups of climbers that had an identity, but never were formal enough to be considered "clubs" that have played such a significant, and colorful, role in US climbing---obviously The Vulgarians, but many others Syndatico Granitico,Los Banditos, DLFA, Mud and Slush, etc., etc.----grounds for another threat or several....
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richross
Trad climber
gunks,ny
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Nov 24, 2008 - 05:41pm PT
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Rhoadie Loadie Jay Gunks early 90's. Wob Wob.
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scuffy b
climber
On the dock in the dark
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Nov 24, 2008 - 08:37pm PT
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Alan, there's been some discussion on this forum of some of the
Southern California semi-clubs, Poway (Poway Mountaineers),
G&E Buff Climbers, and the Scumbags.
There's good Poway and Scumbag presence, apparently, but I think
only one Genie Buffer posts here (Bldrjack)
I think Don Lauria has connections to the Buffers, and perhaps
some stories as well.
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richross
Trad climber
gunks,ny
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Dec 13, 2008 - 08:21am PT
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The caption reads, Russel McBeek selects protection on the superb first pitch of Moby Grape 5.9 Cannon Cliff. Photo by Howard Peterson.
It is really North American Climber editor Paul Baird also known as McBeek.
The magazine was based in Providence Rhode Island.
Mini McBeek upper right.
I love the quote in Pete Carmen ad just below,"The honest good looks of equipment designed to face the mountain.....not the mirror".
The Rhodies were a fun group of guys to climb with.
The Rhodies liked to mix with the Gunkies. Some of us were honored to be unofficial but toking members in their group.
Neil Pothier caught my longest leaderfall on the second pitch of Birdie Party in 1976.
I actually flew past him!
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richross
Trad climber
gunks,ny
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Dec 13, 2008 - 11:49am PT
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I always thought the main reason for the wob wob call was a way for separated members of the group to locate each other.
If you heard a woof woof reply you knew they were nearby.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Dec 20, 2008 - 09:00pm PT
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A CT denizen versus a Rhoadie - but Marco Fedrizzi has been out here in PDX since I shanghai'd him back in '88. He's hooked up with Chuck a few times down in the Valley back in the '90s. Of late he's been lost to fly fishing and not climbing, though not for lack of needling him on a monthly basis to get out.
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richross
Trad climber
gunks,ny
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Dec 20, 2008 - 09:51pm PT
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Some pics of climbing partner Marco Fedrizzi from the Gunks in the mid 80's.
Leading Blockparty 5.11, Skytop.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Dec 20, 2008 - 10:18pm PT
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Marco about to turn turtle during an '86 FA attempt of 'The Wizard' at Crow Hill.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 25, 2015 - 10:49am PT
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Bump for the Waaab Waaab of yesteryear...
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Jan 25, 2015 - 10:58am PT
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Click on his picture for the website of Chuck's guiding company "Vertical Realms":
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Don Paul
Big Wall climber
Denver, Colorado
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Jan 25, 2015 - 11:02am PT
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Wow, I think this is the same Whitey that I knew from the boston rock gym around 1990. Hugh Herr would climb there too, with his prosthetics. The gunks was the 'badass' place for new englanders, unless you liked to climb ice.
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Oldfattradguy2
Trad climber
Here and there
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Jan 25, 2015 - 03:08pm PT
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Çhuck and Marko used to crash on my floor in the 80's. They used to bring coffee to the gate lady at minnewaska all the time when we were climbing out there, she nevere charged them!
Did my 1st 100 mile bike ride because chuck called and said that Linda and he just did one, I was like what the f@ck, if they could, I could. We were doing them on our stump jumpers, no road bikes for us..
Jay and whitey were around a lot in the early '80's so was Terry Granger.
And yes it was wob wob, woof woof was the proper reply.
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 17, 2016 - 12:25pm PT
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Gunks bump...
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bamboo
Trad climber
pike co
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Dec 17, 2016 - 07:02pm PT
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anybody remember the bread truck with the kikass stereo and nitrous bottle?
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 10, 2019 - 11:12am PT
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I just had a conversation with a anesthesiologist about nitrous at the bar last night. The actual mechanism of action is still a bit vague...kinda like the memory of the Tank Truck.
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capseeboy
Social climber
portland, oregon
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Mar 10, 2019 - 11:32am PT
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Thread drift here. The Gibbs Ascend err pic reminded me of the time I tested it to solo climb a fixed rope. I was the test dummy and jumped off a 10 ft boulder. It just slid down the rope and I landed on my back--oouhf! It kinda woke me up; although, I repeated being the dummy on other future experiments. I was a Organ Loadie and flunked science.
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thebravecowboy
climber
The Good Places
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Mar 10, 2019 - 07:46pm PT
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This sounds a lot like the Bong-Bong Banditos, of which I may or may knott know a thing or two, although they are more strictly confined to the greater Bongville, from West Pappy Flappy Tower on the east to North Pappy Flappy Tower on the southwestern end of their range. Funny thread. History definitely re-bongs itself.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Mar 10, 2019 - 09:42pm PT
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Marco stills sees and gets out with Chuck a couple of times a year either here or back in CT. Most recently earlier this past year in the Daks. Said, he was going to get ahold of you Rich next time he's back...
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Mar 10, 2019 - 11:19pm PT
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As recently as last week I troll'd old Rich Ross, he no longer lurks.
He last posted as "Red Swami".
I wonder if Marco, knows anything about climbs in my neck of the woods?
There are 2 excellent, short hard 12-ish things
that were Rurp protected and are very describable;
One a diagonal-ing seam, up perfect white rock,
in the gap of a split boulder, with no other gear
Once climbed, it's more very hard .11-ish
This would be along Rt7 south of Danbury Ct.
at Scribner Hill rd.& Danbury Rd(RT7)(Georgetown?)
There was another Rurp on a very distinctive standing block/stubby pinnacle, the Rurp was at 16ft, It was in the center, past the corner on the face, (clip-able from the hold) that thing is super steep & sweet!I have kept the location a secret.
Sad but the best lines are beyond me now.
It is time to give it to a few deserving climbers.
I'LL add pictures in a bit.
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climber bob
Social climber
maine
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Mar 11, 2019 - 08:52am PT
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 11, 2019 - 09:05pm PT
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Rock On in my Hometown Whitey!
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